Flexibility needed in coastal plan

Published: Tuesday, February 26, 2013 at 2:30 p.m.

Last Modified: Tuesday, February 26, 2013 at 2:30 p.m.

The state’s master plan for coastal restoration is an excellent starting point for how to spend any money Louisiana might get from the BP oil spill fines.

But it is exactly that — a starting point.

State and local officials must give each other room to adjust the plan so that the overall goal of putting the money to the best use is preserved while deferring sometimes to the folks who might know better how that can be achieved locally.

The BP oil spill fines are estimated to eventually be between $5 billion and $20 billion. Louisiana’s share is still uncertain, but it could be in the billions of dollars.

That would give the state an unprecedented opportunity to launch its $50 billion, 50-year coastal plan, which is aimed at making as many of our residents as safe as possible, for as long as possible.

Even if the state were to miraculously get the full $50 billion, the plan would not make everyone safe from every storm.

It would, though, make thousands of coastal residents much safer than they currently are, and it would implement a system of priorities and projects that would be a framework for future spending.

That is where it is the most important. And that is where some flexibility is needed.

Local officials have raised some alarm that what they see as vital protection measures are lacking on the eastern side of Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes.

“This is the epicenter for land loss,” said Lafourche Parish Coastal Manager Archie Chaisson III. “We’ll be stuck with a beautiful western side and a completely devastated eastern side.”

Terrebonne’s director, Nic Matherne, voiced similar concerns.

That is not a viable alternative. And the local coastal officials are appealing to the state to change the plan to include more protection projects.

Another alternative, they say, is to work toward getting money for smaller projects in the annual spending plans the state performs.

The overwhelmingly positive news in all of this is that there is a light at the end of the tunnel — the possibility that the state will have a significant source of coastal-restoration money and a detailed plan for moving ahead with vital restoration work.

There must be room in any plan for changes or adjustments that better take into account the realities of our coastal dilemma.

The state has done a lot of work to get to where it is, with a stream of money likely to come and a good plan for how to use it. Now, it must continue to work out the details to ensure that the money actually does the most good possible.

<p>The state's master plan for coastal restoration is an excellent starting point for how to spend any money Louisiana might get from the BP oil spill fines.</p><p>But it is exactly that — a starting point.</p><p>State and local officials must give each other room to adjust the plan so that the overall goal of putting the money to the best use is preserved while deferring sometimes to the folks who might know better how that can be achieved locally.</p><p>The BP oil spill fines are estimated to eventually be between $5 billion and $20 billion. Louisiana's share is still uncertain, but it could be in the billions of dollars.</p><p>That would give the state an unprecedented opportunity to launch its $50 billion, 50-year coastal plan, which is aimed at making as many of our residents as safe as possible, for as long as possible.</p><p>Even if the state were to miraculously get the full $50 billion, the plan would not make everyone safe from every storm.</p><p>It would, though, make thousands of coastal residents much safer than they currently are, and it would implement a system of priorities and projects that would be a framework for future spending.</p><p>That is where it is the most important. And that is where some flexibility is needed.</p><p>Local officials have raised some alarm that what they see as vital protection measures are lacking on the eastern side of Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes.</p><p>“This is the epicenter for land loss,” said Lafourche Parish Coastal Manager Archie Chaisson III. “We'll be stuck with a beautiful western side and a completely devastated eastern side.”</p><p>Terrebonne's director, Nic Matherne, voiced similar concerns.</p><p>That is not a viable alternative. And the local coastal officials are appealing to the state to change the plan to include more protection projects.</p><p>Another alternative, they say, is to work toward getting money for smaller projects in the annual spending plans the state performs.</p><p>The overwhelmingly positive news in all of this is that there is a light at the end of the tunnel — the possibility that the state will have a significant source of coastal-restoration money and a detailed plan for moving ahead with vital restoration work.</p><p>There must be room in any plan for changes or adjustments that better take into account the realities of our coastal dilemma.</p><p>The state has done a lot of work to get to where it is, with a stream of money likely to come and a good plan for how to use it. Now, it must continue to work out the details to ensure that the money actually does the most good possible.</p><p>Editorials represent the opinions of</p><p>the newspaper, not of any individual.</p>